Theft-preventing device



May 23, 1933- H. A. HIPPOLD ET AL THEFT PREVENTING DEVICE Filed July 21, 1932 mvzswoms HENRY ANTQN HIPPOLD MARUN MQOTTUEB BY iheirAT'roRNEY Patented May 23, I933 UNITED STATES PATENT m;

my ANTON HIPPOLD AND mmrinmmrrnrnn, or new; men, n.

THnFr-PREvnNrINGIDEvmn Application filed July 21, 1932. {Serial no. 6233777.

This invention relates to theft preventing devices, and more particularly to devices for preventing theft of automobiles.

It is generally considered dangerous to leave unguarded automobiles upon a street, as many cases of theft have been reported as result of such action.

Most of the states have laws compelling tion of the same into a position where the legend on the plate cannot be read, thus making it dangerous for unauthorized persons to make use of the automobile when the plate is in that position.

Still another aim of our invention is the provision of means for retaining the plate carrying frame in either of its adjusted positions by a bayonet joint device.

Another aim of our invention is the provision of means for preventing unauthorized persons from rotating the license plate from its legend concealing position into its normal position.

It is a yet further aim of our invention to provide means for positive identification of the automobile, when its license plate is in a pendant or legend concealing position.

And another object of our invention is the provision of a license plate frame comprising two sections adapted to be separated for the exchange of license plates.

These and other advantages of our invention will become morefully apparent as the description thereof proceeds, and will then be specifically defined in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawing, forming a material part of this disclosure:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of a conventional license plate, mounted in accordance with our invention.

Figure 2 is anend velevational"View ..of the partsshownirn l igurel. j

F'gune B shows the'license late pendant lor'legendconcea'ling position.

Figure- 4 is a section takenon' line 144 ofFiguneiLL Figure .5 is a tophpilanwiew of the device. The invention consists of a 'pairxof opposed. angle fbnackets secured in parallelnelation to :thatpmrt .ofthe vehicle where the license plate usually appears. These angle brackets mes-11 are supported by .a support bar 13 extending horizontally :between the brackets and secured theretolby screws 13' slightly above the center of the brackets.

The? outstanding "elements 1 ;L41 5 of the brackets have substantially .in their center, slots 16*?171; Also provided on. the-out standing elements 14 -15 ofmthe brackets l0.11 are slots L8+18 ".-and, ia-ie' having right mingled: extensions .20 20 and Elba-21, parallelwithsslotslfieslfi. I FLicense plate "22, bearing individual com binationsfl of letters, numerals, locality and year,- is held in an zepen face 'f ramef23'and W hacking plate24, united :at yarious points by screws 25.

' .Fjrixed 'on .the end edgcsf is a-lock 26 having .a .:key escutcheon and slide Ebo'lt b 28 adapted to engage in :opening 29 when the "p licenseplatel is in :a pending or legend con-1 seating position. V. 1

' Extending from 'thecenter of thef-rame edges arehinge pins :3031,'slidably held in slots 1=6-17,;and a-re prevented-from d isen gagement by :their :outer heads 32-33 ofa diameter greater than the width ofthel slots 16 L7. Fixed :pins 34 -i35 extend from the frame edges, zparal'lel with hinge pins30-3-1, "and arranged Ethereabove. These fixedvpins ,34435 7 are engageable in slots 189-18" and 19%19? respectively to pass into right angled extensions :20-20. and 321-21",udepentling upon the position zoifthe Iicen'SepIata-and constitute bayonet ijoint connections in-eit her of which the pins are retained by gravity.

: When :the license: plate-and its frame is in a pendant position, -as shown in Figure 3, bar F13lbecomes visible. 'Pa'i'ntedor otherwise indicatediupon this bar 318 is the legend of the license plate, as at 86, allowing identifica tion of the vehicle when not in operation, yet being insufiicient for operation when in this position.

In operation, when the operator of the automobile intends to leave it unguarded for any length of time, he raises the frame, draws it forward to release the pins from slots 2021, turns the frame on pivot pins 30-31, enters pins 3l35 in slots 20'21, and he then releases the bolt of lock 26 by theme of the proper key, to enter opening 28, in

which position the plate will be firmly held," until, by insertion of the, key into the g V escutcheon, the bolt is withdrawn, and the plate rotated intohits normal.- position.

If, when the plate is in its legend concealing position, an unauthorized person enters the car and uses it, he runs the risk of being stopped by an officer of the law, and explanation will be requested, inasmuch as the vehicle is being operated without license. To make this condition more easily noticeable, rear plate 24 of the frame is preferably painted red or any other brightcolor.

If, when the car is'left unguarded but not operated, it is desired to identify the car by license. number, bar 13, which-becomes visible whenvithe license plate is in pendant position, will furnish this information. This is not sufficient forv operating purposes however, and. questioning of a driver will result even though. the license number is stated upon bar. 13. I r

The foregoing disclosure is to'be regarded as descriptive and illustrative only and not as limitative or restrictive of the invention, of which obviously an embodiment maybe constructed including many modifications without departing from the general scope herein indicated and denoted intthe append- 6 ed claim. I Having thus described the invention, what s claimed as new anddesired to be-secured by Letters Patent, is:

,In combination, a license plate. carrying frame having hinge pins at its center edges, angle supports having slots in their center in which saidzhinge pins are slidably held, fined pins on said frame edges above said hlIlgGPlIlS, vertical slots in said angle supports vabove and below said center slots and equally spaced therefrom, said upper and lower slots having open right angled upper ends, said fixed pins adapted to selectively engage .either of the open slots, a lock on sa d angle support having a bolt, an opening in said frame for'engagement with said bolt 7 when the plateis in pendant position, and

means to identify thevehicle carrying said plate when 1n pendant position. i

In witness whereof we have signed our names to this specification. I

HENRY ANTON HIPPOLD. L MARTIN M. GOTTLIEB. 

